Campa South Review

Rated 4.9 / 5 from 17 reviews

Editors Review

Last Updated: 8/2/19:

Behold, the addition to CampaSouth Rentals' fleet―Premium Deluxe Motorhome and Budget Hi-top Campervan. These are great for couples and groups up to 3 only. 

Premium Deluxe Motorhome

This new motorhome features a nice interior fit-out that gives you a separate toilet cubicle. It's an automatic transmission with a powerful yet economical petrol engine. With an interior height of 1.8 metres, it's quite easy to stand inside the unit without feeling cramped. Storage areas are well distributed while the kitchen area is fully furnished with a 2 burner gas hob, 12v fridge, and sink. Though seating for 3, this only sleeps up to 2 persons. 

Budget Hi-top Campervan

For a couple with one child, you'll save a great deal of money with this 2+1 Budget Hitop campervan. This 5-speed manual transmission is easy to drive as well as park because of its compact dimensions. Just like traditional campervans, this unit comes with a convertible rear lounge and a nice, small kitchen. There's an overhead bunk that comfortably sleeps a child or a small adult around 50 kgs. All three persons, including the driver, can seat in front with the provided extra seat with lapbelt. 


Campasouth Rentals is a small family-owned campervan hire in New Zealand that offers 2 to 4 berth self-contained campers from Christchurch. The company focuses on providing a personal touch to each camper, especially for travellers looking for a budget-friendly NZ road trip.

About CampaSouth Rentals

As a family business, it is the company’s goal to provide personalized campers that are ideal for travellers on a budget. All vehicles are in great shape despite the older models on the fleet, which means that these are very well-maintained. Another impressive feature is the complimentary airport pickup/ return service so that you don’t have to deal with the bus ride after a long-haul flight. Their one and only depot is located in Christchurch. 

Whether you're travelling in Christchurch or any other NZ areas, it's important to know different freedom camping rules. Here's a very useful NZ freedom camping tool you can check ahead of time.

Fleet

Though not newer model campervans, Campasouth Rentals takes pride with their well-maintained campers that can cater up to 4 people. Now, they have five campervan options—Premium Deluxe, Deluxe, Standard, Sleepervan, and Budget Hitop—all of which are tailored to an economical road trip. And since their campervans do not come with any commercial logos or loud exteriors, then you’ll fittingly enjoy a more serene vacation on wheels. The “self-contained” certification also gives travelers the freedom to roam around some secluded places in the country, as well as save money for parking fees. Each campervan is fully equipped with all camping essentials, from the kitchen to bed, making your campervan hire more worthwhile. The campervans also feature plenty of storage space and a fairly comfortable sleeping bed. 

There are also optional extras you can hire at a small charge such as child/ infant seat, portable LPG barbecue, and tent.

Vehicles

Deluxe Campervan - 2+2 Berth

Starting the fleet of self-contained campervans, the Deluxe Campervan is a Toyota Hiace 4-berth tailored with a fully-equipped kitchen and complete living/ sleeping essentials. This is not your ordinary 4 berth camper as it has a larger interior space. Also, it comes with pretty unique additions including awning, folding chairs, and picnic table. And of course, this one is a comfort to drive. 

Standard Hitop Campervan - 3 Berth

Their 3-berth Standard campervan, also run by a Toyota Hiace, now carry the self-containment certification, giving you access to some beautifully secluded NZ tourist spots. Aside from the comprehensive camping necessities, these campers also come with a porta-potty as part of the certification. Pretty standard interior for a 2/3 person campervan rental but very nicely presented and really, there are not many campervans for hire this size that are certified as self-contained, opening up a world of extra free camps around New Zealand.

Sleepervan - 2 Berth

Last, but not the least—their roomy Sleepervans, operated by Nissan Vanettes are great for couples on a budget. "Sleepervans" in New Zealand sometimes mean different things. Many times it just refers to a station wagon with a mattress in it,  other times it means a small clapped out old van with a permanent bed in the back. Not so when Campa South refers to their Sleepervan. These campervans are built for a comfortable trip through their spacious double bed in the rear and generous storage beneath the bed. There is a kitchenette at the back and fully-equipped cooking and sleeping equipment. Much better than a station wagon. In fact, many companies would claim this as their 'mid-range' camper, however, Campa South have deemed it their 'budget' model and called it the Sleepervan, which, to me, shows they are serious about the quality of the rides they provide when a mid-range is considered 'bottom of the range'.

Insurance

The comprehensive insurance is already included in the daily rate, however, you need to take into account the insurance excess that varies depending on the age bracket. For those aged 20 years and below, the excess is $2, 000. For those aged between 21 and 25, the excess is $1, 500, and if you are over 25, the excess is $750. The excess may be reduced by paying a certain additional amount.

Reputation

Although all Campasouth Rentals vehicles are not the newest nor the most powerful models on the road, these campervans are reliable, spacious, easy to get around with, and most of all— downright affordable, considering that all their campers carry the self-containment sticker. With almost all of their clients giving them a rate of 9 to10, this company is a very nice choice for those wanting some peaceful and comfortable road trip, but notwithstanding the budget. Unfortunately, groups more than 4 may look for other options as these campervans could cater 2 to 4 people only. Still, the consistent quality of service and extra hospitality by the owners to their clients makes them a standout from other competitors on the market. This small family business focuses on giving fully-equipped campers, with a hint of personal touches like giving you a cup of tea after a long-haul flight or a box of chocolates for couples on the road.

Summary

Campasouth Rentals emphasizes in providing, not just quality 2 to 4 berth campervans, but also quality service, with a dash of personalized touches. These simple campervans offer you with everything you need, from comfy linens down to a box of matches. You will also appreciate their free airport pick-up and drop-off that will make your entire NZ trip more convenient. Overall, their campers are a great value for money.

From the Agency

We aim to give you a great experience, while travelling in our country, and pride ourselves on excellent customer service. Our vans are well maintained and the perfect size to cope with NZ road conditions. All our premium campervans are certified as self-contained, have auto transmission, aircon, toilet cubicle and coldwater shower. Check us out on our website: campasouth.com - ask for a quote or email [email protected]

Pros

  • Affordable campervans on fleet with no expressive logos or flamboyant designs
  • Self-containment sticker brings you to some of NZ’s breathtaking but secluded areas
  • Fully-equipped campervans with a lot of impressive extras

Cons

  • No campervan options for groups more than 4 people
  • Mostly older campervan models

Facilities

Branch Locations

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Write Your Own Review

Tell the world about your experience renting from this company
B. Richardson - avatar not loaded
, Turkey
1 Review

"Great Company"

  • Reviewed 6 months ago

Graham and Susan were super friendly and informative, nothing too much trouble.
Our van was clean and very well equipped.
Fabulous attention to detail.

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Thanks for travelling with us, we are so pleased you had a great time.
    Best regards, Susan and Graham

M. Béthune - avatar not loaded
, French Polynesia
1 Review

"3 weeks road trip in the South Island"

  • Reviewed 9 months ago

We had a very good campervan experience thanks to Susan and Graham who are very helpful and welcoming. Highly recommended !

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value
Juan and Julieta - avatar not loaded
, Argentina
1 Review

"Exellente service"

  • Reviewed 1 year ago

Excellent service and very friendly Susan and Graham. The incredible campervan, with airport transfers. Highly recommended.

Greetings from an Argentine couple.

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Thanks for travelling with us Julieta and Juan, we loved meeting you, and thank you for taking such good care of the van.
    We give you guys a 5 star rating as great customers :)

A. Glick - avatar not loaded
, United States
1 Review

"Yay Campa South!!"

  • Reviewed 1 year ago

Our experience with Campa South was phenomenal! Our van checked all of our boxes and more—it was a reliable vehicle, equipped with a comfy bed, stovetop + cooking supplies, and was certified self contained. Things we loved about our experience:

1. Prompt Communication: Getting in touch with Campa South was easy with email and text. They gave us detailed descriptions for what to expect upon arriving to New Zealand! They always responded quickly before and during our journey!
2. Excellent costumer service: Susan and Graham went above and beyond expectations by picking us up from the airport, and providing thorough insight for sightseeing in New Zealand.
3. Van Aesthetic: Nondescript, white paint job that made the van less touristy and have more homey vibes.

Would highly recommend and would rent from again on our next return!

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Thanks for travelling with us Alexa. We loved hosting you, good luck for the studies.
    Susan and Graham

Holly - avatar not loaded
, United Kingdom
1 Review

"Highly Recommend Campa South!"

  • Reviewed 2 years ago

Such a warm and friendly welcome from Graham & Susan! The van was awesome, clean and tidy, with all the home comforts you need for life on the road. I have hired a couple of times over the years from Campa South, so I highly recommend them for your NZ road trip!
Amazing van, epic road trip and memories for life!! Thank you so much Campa South!

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Thanks Holly, We loved having you travel with us, and are so pleased you have had a great holiday. We look forward to seeing you again in the future, especially now everyone can travel post-covid!!
    Susan & Graham

Jeroen - avatar not loaded
, Netherlands
1 Review

"Campa South is absolutely fantastic"

  • Reviewed 4 years ago

Graham and Susan are so friendly and helpful, they really go the extra mile to make your holiday perfect (in our case literally when they drove for hours in the late evening to bring us some stuff that we had forgotten ourselves). The campervan itself was very practical and perfectly suited to our needs. So, we were extremely happy that we chose Campa South and would definitely recommend them to everyone!

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value
B. B - avatar not loaded
, Switzerland
1 Review

"Budget is budget, but clearly worth the budget"

  • Reviewed 4 years ago

We rather found campa south by chance, but they gave us a good offer, were very responsive and the reviews were nothing but good. We went for it and we never regretted to have done it differently. It was excellent to be picked up and brought again to the airport. That makes for a good start and end, which is not to underestimate. We got an excellent introduction, SIM-Cardand even spontaniously a bike rack! Very Sweet, Thanks again for that. The van clearly did it's miles and lived it's hours, but the essential things were working fine and the van is well equipped. And what puts you really in confidence is that you can rely on Campa South in case something wouldn't work. Example: We had a crack in the windshield, Graham was honest enough to tell us about it and when it finally cracked more (no security issue), we were able to get it fixed at Neslon Glass (who are also very fine guys) and had nothing to do with paperwork or any such! So, things can always break, but either it's a small thing or Graham will take care of it without playing the blame game. We think that's really worth the money if you can travel in such confidence. Thanks for that and for enabeling a great trip in NZ!

5Service 3Mechanical 4Interior 5Value
Dave - avatar not loaded
, United Kingdom
1 Review

"UK Travellers"

  • Reviewed 4 years ago

Super family run business with excellent customer service. Seamless handover when taking and then returning the van after 2 weeks. Just nothing to fault and although the van was an older model everything was spot on. Any future requirements for a campervan hire will send us straight back to Campa South Rentals - no question.

5Service 5Mechanical 4Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Thanks Dave, we are pleased you had such a great time, and saw some awesome wildlife.
    All the best for the year ahead, Kind regards
    Susan and Graham

R. Bonas - avatar not loaded
, Afghanistan
1 Review

"Canadian Travellers"

  • Reviewed 4 years ago

Renting from Graham and Susan at Campa South was easy. Graham picked us up from the airport and Susan dropped us off. In between they provided clear and invaluable information about the van and our trip. The van itself was well equipped and handled the “different roads” of New Zealand easily. We had a great two weeks (Camper Mate was an invaluable app also) and would highly recommend renting from Campa South and believe they gave us the service and attention we may not have received from a larger company.

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value
D. Vega - avatar not loaded
, United Kingdom
1 Review

"Excellent Family Business with Anazing Service"

  • Reviewed 4 years ago

We had excellent service from Campa South Rentals. At our pick up Graham gave us all the information we needed and took the time to show us around the van explaining how it worked. He even gifted my little boy some lovely biscuits for the trip which went down very well! The van was perfect for us reliable, well maintained and the perfect size for 3 people. On return Graham kindly dropped us near the airport so that we could pick up our next car hire. All in all a great family business - highly recommend.

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value
Adam P - avatar not loaded
, Australia
1 Review

"Amazing experience"

  • Reviewed 5 years ago

We had an amazing experience with Campa South. Graham and Susan were really helpful, picking us up from the airport promptly so we were on the road in no time. We rented the standard van which was clean, well laid out with a super comfy bed, and fully equiped with everything you need for a road trip (No extra charges for camping chairs etc.) I also like the fact the vans have no logos too.

If you’re looking to rent a campervan for your NZ holiday, book with Campa South, highly recommended!

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Awesome Adam, we are so pleased you guys had a great time. Take care and all the best for the coming year.

T. & J. Rousseau - avatar not loaded
, United States
1 Review

"Scout was perfect for exploring the South Island!"

  • Reviewed 5 years ago

Scout’s Review:

In researching and reaching out from the Pacific Northwest to New Zealand,
Graham and Susan at Campa South Rentals proved to be reliable, reasonably/competitively priced and resourceful.

We rented the 2008 Nissan Vanette Self-Contained Sleepervan for its unmarked, unadorned, plain, straight-forward and reliable drive to freedom camp in New Zealand. Graham and Susan pinpointed the map to the wild South Island we were anticipating. Graham was clear about the mechanics of the Vanette and offered his direct telephone number if the squeaky fan belt squeaked longer than it should in the startup; his briefing was essential, comprehensive and honest and definitely enhanced our travel. Susan was efficient in the communication process throughout and even tucked in a vintage plaid wool blanket for extra warmth as the end of summer was nearing. The best stargazing was over the moon with that wool blanket thrown across our shoulders. The wide boxy windows offered views of the boastful night skies. While watching sunrises standing just outside the Campervan, under the back hatch made for the perfect covered porch and making a pot of pressed coffee. The well packed kitchen was an ease for picnic suppers of lamb sausage and burgers, rice curries and those crisp local carrots. The chilly bin was perfect for packing ice and cold ginger beers. The compact size of the Vanette offered the freedom to explore the South Island coastlines, to drive the valley toward Mt. Cook, to take the White Road tour at Yealands Family Wines (www.yealands.co.nz), and to freedom camp at ocean shores and watch the cows come home at the tide lines.

On our last day, we lingered at Birdlings Flat just south of Christchurch on Banks Peninsula to watch the rocks tumble from the wash of ocean waves. It was on the second day, we named this straightforward and worthy of adventure van, “Scout”. Scout made the best traveling companion to see New Zealand!

Thank you for the wide open hospitality of New Zealand and Scout.

Best Regards,

Julie and Terry Rousseau
Pacific Northwest. Washington State, USA

This writing cannot go without saying, we started this travel following New Zealand’s darkest day on 15 March 2019. We offer our sorrow and compassion. The people and country met it all with good courage and faith in the common good.
#theyareus. Washington State, USA

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value
Ian & Cheryl - avatar not loaded
, United States
1 Review

"We got lucky!"

  • Reviewed 5 years ago

Not knowing what to expect, we were extremely happy with Campa South. Clean, dependable rig with ample room, (love the Hi top). Outfitted with all the little extras to make for a comfortable adventure. Great service, and thanks again for all the tidbits of valuable info. We'll be back!

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value
Michal - avatar not loaded
, Czech Republic
1 Review

"Great experience"

  • Reviewed 5 years ago

Holiday was simply fun,
in your happy camper van.

We were feeling waterproof,
under comfy higher roof.

We could travel at big seals,
quickly in home on four wheels.

We saved really lots of money,
with your family company.

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Hey Michal, thanks for the great review and poem. It was our pleasure to host you, and we wish you all the best for the year ahead. Warm regards
    Susan and Graham

C. Fitoussi - avatar not loaded
, Switzerland
1 Review

"A great van for a great journey!"

  • Reviewed 5 years ago

We hired a van with Campa South during the month of November 2018 and absolutely loved it.
- Safety&Kindness : throughout the trip, we really had the feeling we were in good hands. I think when you rent a van you first want to feel safe, and that's how we felt thank's to Campa South owners (Graham&Susan) and Graham's brother Bevan. If we had a problem with the van, we knew that we could really rely on them and that's priceless.
- Great van : outside the van, no tags or brand on the van (simple white van). Inside, the van had a lot of storing space and every thing you need to live (toaster, heater, kettle, gas cooker, cooking tools, cups&glasses, plates, forks/knives/spoons etc, cooking tools, camping table and camping chairs for when you want to eat outside, flashlights, cushions, duvets...).
- No hidden cost : honest people.
For all of these reasons, we would recommend to anyone to pick this company to hire a van. The vans they rent are great and well arranged and they are such kind and lovely people. Enjoy your trip!

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Thanks for the kind words Claire, we are pleased we could host you, and that you had a great time in our beautiful country. We would love to see you again if you return this way.

K. Stephens - avatar not loaded
, Lao People's Democratic Republic
1 Review

"The best way to see NZ!"

  • Reviewed 6 years ago

Graham and Sue run an amazing service. They gave great advice, including apps to use to find good camping sites. They were really helpful with pick-up and drop-off. The van we had was comfortable, clean, and fully equipped. Nothing broke!!! Everything was maintained to a high standard. Having a fully self-contained van meant we could stop anywhere and enjoy the scenery. Definitely recommend going the fully-self-contained way! And Graham and Sue are such friendly, welcoming, helpful people. Thank you so much for such a lovely experience. You really helped to make our stay in NZ enjoyable and stress-free!!!

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Thanks Karen and Andrew - the pleasure was ours, and we would love to see you again

R. Mathews - avatar not loaded
, New Zealand
1 Review

"Came back for more!"

  • Reviewed 6 years ago

Having already used Campa South in the past & found Graham & Susan very easy to work with as well as extremely friendly we opted to use them again. The van was awesome, especially the heater when the weather turned nasty.
It was well kitted out with all that was required including warm bedding. The van drove well & was well maintained. Unfortunately we had a puncture but it was very professionally dealt with by AA with whom Campa South has a contract. They were there within an hour. No worries about being assisted on the roadside. We have no hesitation in recommending Graham & Susan along with their vans for a great holiday.

5Service 5Mechanical 5Interior 5Value

  • Brand Manager

    Our pleasure. We hope to see you again in the future